title: Endophytic and mycorrhizal fungi associated with roots of endangered native orchids from the Atlantic Forest, Brazil.
abstract: The composition and diversity of fungal communities associated with three endangered orchid species, Hadrolaelia jongheana, Hoffmannseggella caulescens, and Hoffmannseggella cinnabarina, found in different vegetation formations of the Atlantic Forest were determined by constructing clone libraries and by applying diversity and richness indices. Our results demonstrated the presence of Basidiomycetes. Sebacinales (81.61%) and Cantharellales (12.10%) were the dominant orders and are potential candidates for orchid mycorrhizal fungi. The Ascomycetes identified included the Helotiales (29.31%), Capnodiales (18.10%), and Sordariales (10.34%), among others. These orders may represent potentially endophytic fungi. A Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H') analysis showed a relatively high fungal community diversity associated with these tropical orchids. This diversity may offer greater flexibility in terms of the adaptation of the plants to changing environmental conditions and the potential facilitation of reintroduction programs. The Simpson diversity index values showed that all of the libraries included dominant species, and a LIBSHUFF analysis showed that the fungal communities were structurally different from each other, suggesting an influence of local factors on this diversity. This study offers important information for the development of conservation strategies for threatened and endemic species of Brazilian flora in an important and threatened hotspot.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Department, Federal University of Viçosa, Peter Henry Rolfs Avenue, s/n, CEP 36570-000, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sabrina Feliciano
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Melissa Faust
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Bocayuva
authors.forename: Tomás Gomes Reis
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Veloso
authors.forename: Denise Mara Soares
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bazzolli
authors.forename: Cynthia Canedo
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Olinto Liparini
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Maria Catarina Megumi
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kasuya
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D001938:Brazil; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D056727:Endangered Species; D060026:Endophytes / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D038821:Mycorrhizae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D029595:Orchidaceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D014197:Trees / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D012987:Soil